


Silver and Steel

by XSiveCruelty



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: Angst, Drinking, Feels, Gay yearning, Light Angst, M/M, Slow Burn, Spoilers, Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:42:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24311494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XSiveCruelty/pseuds/XSiveCruelty
Summary: Seth searches and yearns for Cormag in post-war Magvel.
Relationships: Cugar | Cormag/Seth
Kudos: 9





	Silver and Steel

“Your Majesty, it should be time to head back,” 

Seth was ready to move out, armor barely making a sound as he shifted his weight. He and Ephraim were in the temple the Grado royal family was interred in. Every year without fail, one of the twins of Renais would give an offering to Lyon’s burial place. He could always sense in Ephraim’s face, the tightness of a knitted brow, the jaw clenched in tension. Years of unrest and reparations plagued the first few years of his rule. Perhaps he was still wishing he were as clever as Lyon, or he desired his counsel.

King and knight moved decisively out of the cold marble structure. Only the twins of Renais were the ones that remembered this place. Lyon was a resentful blight on the Empire of Grado’s history, and the former Emperor Vigarde’s last moments of rule soured his reputation with the military and the common people.

The sun shone warm on their backs. Summer was ending, and the grounds were overgrown, the wildflowers and weeds no longer vivid greens but the color of dead straw. Nobody bothered to tend to a structure that honored the Imperial family— not when there were catastrophes, subsequent famine, disease and a vacuum in leadership that bandit leaders filled with plunder and destruction. Ephraim could only do so much to offer his aid to Grado, and if it were not for Eirika’s leadership, Renais would have been left far too vulnerable.

After some time, Ephraim spoke. “I was just thinking about some old memories. Friendships I thought I would always retain after I was king. I realize I’ve done a poor job at keeping in touch with people I fought alongside.”

“It’s to be expected. Renais needed you, and Grado was in need of much aid for many years. Your time was divided between all of Magvel, so that left little room for personal matters.”

“You were busy yourself. Didn’t you pen letters to Cormag after you parted?’”

Seth’s reply was delayed. After a pause he answered, “I did once to honor a promise, but there was no response.”

“That was of no concern to you?”

“No, Your Majesty. It does not serve a knight to dwell on sentimentality.” 

He knew that answer irritated Ephraim, yet he never meant in his usual dispassion. They were always silently arguing against each other, Seth, the one that killed his tenderness against the Ephraim driven by impulse and feeling. This time, Ephraim could not remain silent, as he found a response to counter Seth's oppressive restraint. 

“Whenever you feel a shadow upon you, I see you look toward the sky.”

Seth’s answer remained pragmatic and cold. “That means little. Only a fool would choose not to be aware of his surroundings.”

“You wish to see it would be him.”

At this, Ephraim met Seth’s gaze to see if what he said bore truth. Seth could only see what he thought was pity. He had no response to say to his king that would have been polite enough.

Ephraim mounted his horse, and grasped the reins to direct the beast. He intercepted Seth from doing the same, horse and rider towering over him with a commanding presence. 

“I knew you only accompanied me out of tradition, but your tasks as general of Renais are fast diminishing in peacetime. The situation is stable. Franz, Forde and Kyle can handle what else needs to be done. You should use this as an opportunity to take leave of your duties.”

Seth protested. “My king, I cannot allow it—” 

“Please, just do this for your own sake. If you don’t do something for yourself just once, as a king and friend I will never forgive you. Once we reach the capital, you would never entertain the idea or take up this opportunity. You cannot solely live for the sake of duty.’ 

With a practiced motion, Ephraim urged his mount to gallop at full speed, not even the slightest bit out of practice. Even if he mounted his own horse and pursued, Seth knew it to be futile. Ephraim would only boldly outrace him. The figure of Ephraim was already faint on the tree-lined horizon, the lustrous gold embroidery of his cape suspended in motion as he rode onward to Renais. Only the dust of the road was left in his wake. 

“He’s still a child,” Seth declared to nobody, and thought to himself: _He hasn’t matured one bit since five years ago._

He knew it to be a lie, that perhaps Ephraim understood Seth’s turmoil in perfect clarity. Ephraim’s grief after losing Lyon was great, and it was not just to mourn the loss of a friend, but someone dearer. The context was clear in what flowers he placed on Lyon’s grave, and all those years after, Ephraim refused to take a bride. He knew that King Ephraim did not wish the same loneliness for Seth, still a bachelor despite his years. 

Seth gave out a light cry and pressed the sides of his mount with his legs. The horse reared its head once obediently, working in tandem with its rider. It began to pick up speed, breaking from a light trot into a canter. At Ephraim’s current pace, he would not be able to ride long before his mount would tire. He would need to rest and restock provisions in Serafew. Once they reconvened, Ephraim's proposition would be dismissed as fanciful delusion. The whole thing would be forgotten.

* * *

He reached Serafew in good time, passing through the naturally fortified keep of Renwall and the Adlas Plains. In the past there would be battles and skirmishes, which made the journey longer. He did not sight Ephraim yet. They must have stopped at different places to rest along the way.

There were a few members of the Knights of Renais within Serafew, but Seth could not hide his dismay when he saw Ephraim’s white horse being tended to by young soldiers. The noble beast was stripped of its barding, and it communicated everything Seth needed to know: Ephraim abandoned his prize horse, took another, and rode on despite how reckless it was. 

He needed no report, but listened to the soldier who sighted Ephraim and conveyed the message left for him. 

“His Majesty’s mount is left in our care.” the soldier said. “Someone will transport her back to the capital at a later date. We all know how much King Ephraim treasures his prize horse, so we were shocked when he asked to change horses.” 

“As I thought,” Seth remarked. Perhaps Ephraim was actually serious about his proposition and knew that Seth would pursue him relentlessly. 

“General Seth, I also heard this from the King. Is it true you will be taking a leave from your service to Renais?” the soldier then asked, his eyes shining, “Are you now a Knight-errant?”

“Oh boy… I would rather not be called as such. I feel like you’re making a joke out of me,”

“Not at all, General. Everyone here admires your tireless dedication, but we do worry at times.”

Seth dismissed him, and went his own way. Admiration—it felt hard to imagine anyone would envy the way he chose to live his life, only pausing to eat tough and dried rations before he would set off again. They only admired him for a devotion he poured everything into, for he knew nothing else. They did not wish that kind of life for themselves. Most of these soldiers would find love, marry, raise children and be done with knighthood, but that was not what Seth envisioned his life would be like. 

_What do I even want for myself? What do I want to do in my life, except to serve Renais until my last breath?_ He thought.

Left in solitude, he could recall a memory that was perhaps the moment when he was happiest. It was years ago, when he for the first time felt an admiration burn deep for nobody else but him—someone he regarded as an equal. He felt shame when he recalled Cormag’s gaze, a gaze that felt as dark as the ocean’s depths, that it suffocated the flame that burned within him. He would never yield to tenderness. He was unworthy of anything more. 

_I’ll confirm if Cormag is still alive,_ he decided silently _. If it only means I can put to rest the image of him, then I would be satisfied with that. If my search remains fruitless, then I would have at least travelled somewhere. I would have done what King Ephraim had asked of me to do._

A sigh escaped him. He loathed to admit to folly, scarcely believing that Ephraim had swayed him to do so. He veered off the main path that would lead back to the capital with a destination in mind. He sought counsel. 

He restocked provisions for the rest of the journey, packing lightly and changing horses. He had no concerns about travelling into the night. After the Demon King’s hold was released from Magvel, the monsters that were once ill omens no longer terrorized the countryside, and no bandit would be strong enough to face him, even if he were alone. The only thing he was left to contend with was a ghost of a memory haunting him.

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter 1: The Law of Fantasy Horses. This is a horse fic now
> 
> I could not have written this fic without the help of [PotatoLays](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PotatoLays/pseuds/PotatoLays). We endlessly theorycraft together and it has been such a joy to examine Seth in greater detail. Before I knew it I fell in love with this man.
> 
> I would also like to thank [Timehopper](https://archiveofourown.org/users/timehopper/pseuds/timehopper) for being so welcoming and getting me motivated. 
> 
> I also extend thanks to [RoboTortoise](https://archiveofourown.org/users/robotortoise/pseuds/robotortoise/works) for offering to beta an early draft, despite all difficulties.


End file.
